A Rockaway Beach resident is accusing local police of killing a dog in cold blood.
Police officers say they were merely protecting public safety.
On June 14th, three Rockaway Beach police officers shot and killed a dog they say was threatening residents.
They claim they acted in accordance with a Missouri state statute that allows anyone to kill a dog or cat acting aggressively towards other animals or people.
But a local woman says she witnessed the whole scene and says the now-deceased dog was harmless.
"They're out there just shooting like it's the O.K. Corral."
That’s the way Rockaway Beach resident Barbara Blair remembers the death of her neighbor's dog.
“For the safety of the community we had to destroy the animal.”
And that's the way the Rockaway Beach Police Department remembers the death of a dangerous dog.
The problems started in the Rockaway Beach city park when police responded to a call from a woman who said a strange dog was acting aggressively towards her and her dog.
Officers attempted to capture the animal in question, but it escaped.
A few hours later they answered a 911 call about the same canine harassing another individual, and that's when the patrolmen and Barbara crossed paths.
“I was just in tears,” says Barbara, who says she watched three police officers a few houses away from hers fire three bullets into what she calls a "friendly" pet.
“He was gentle as a lamb. Choc labs are like that; he wouldn't hurt a flea."
The officers don't deny what happened, but they do deny doing it without probable cause.
“One of our officers was approaching the dog when it lowered its ears, growled, and barred its teeth at the officer. At that point he didn't feel safe to try to capture the dog,” explains Lieutenant Ben Matthews.
Something he and the others did feel afterwards, though, was remorse.
“Everybody here is an animal lover. It's one of the most heartbreaking things we've had to do."
Barbara, an animal-lover too, says the most heartbreaking thing for her is that it ever had to be done.
And if it's ever done again-
“You better hope to hell it's not mine cause it will be the last dog you ever shoot."
Just to clarify, the officers say the dog was not a lab, but a mixed breed, possibly with some chow in it.
Two officers shot at the dog; the first fired two bullets in what he says was self-defense, while the second fired one into the dog's head to end any suffering.
The police say they have tried to contact the owner, but he has not yet admitted the dog was his, so the case is still open.